Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his historic visit to Guyana for the second India-CARICOM Summit, proposed seven pillars to strengthen India-CARICOM ties and received Dominica’s and Guyana highest honour.
Key Seven Pillars of India-CARICOM Relations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined seven key pillars to deepen ties between India and CARICOM nations, aligning with the acronym C-A-R-I-C-O-M:
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Awards Conferred on PM Modi by Guyana and Dominica
- Guyana: Conferred with The Order of Excellence, Guyana’s highest national award, by President Irfaan Ali for exceptional statesmanship and strengthening India-Guyana ties.
- Dedicated to the people of India and the historical India-Guyana bond.
- Modi was also handed the Key to the City of Georgetown.
- Dominica: Received the Dominica Award of Honour, the highest national award, from President Sylvanie Burton.
- Recognized for providing 70,000 COVID-19 vaccines and fostering India-Dominica relations.
- Acknowledged for his leadership in global health, education, and climate resilience.
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- Capacity Building: Proposal to establish a forensic centre for the CARICOM region.
- Suggestion to create a portal similar to India’s iGOT Karmayogi for continuous training of civil servants in areas like technology, administration, law, and education.
- Agriculture and Food Security: Emphasis on collaboration to improve agricultural practices and ensure food security in CARICOM nations.
- Renewable Energy and Climate Change: Focus on renewable energy projects and climate change mitigation.
- $150 million credit line announced earlier for renewable energy initiatives.
- Innovation, Technology, and Trade: Strengthening technological collaboration and trade relationships.
- Proposal for an online portal to connect private sectors and stakeholders.
- $1 million grant for SME development announced in 2019, with an emphasis on implementation.
- Cricket and Culture: Promotion of cricket as a shared cultural passion and a bridge for people-to-people ties.
- Preservation and sharing of cultural heritage between India and CARICOM.
- Ocean Economy: Harnessing the potential of blue economy sectors for sustainable development.
- Medicine and Healthcare: Strengthening healthcare systems and addressing public health challenges.
Key Proposals by PM Modi
- Online Portal: Suggested creation of a portal to connect the private sector and stakeholders of India and CARICOM nations.
- Support for SMEs: $1 million grant announced in 2019 to boost small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the region.
- Economic Cooperation:Commitment to renewable energy, climate change, and economic growth.
- $150 million credit line for renewable energy initiatives announced earlier in 2019.
- Vision for Collaboration: PM Modi emphasised promoting the “five Ts” trade, technology, tourism, talent, and tradition as key pillars for enhancing India-CARICOM ties, ensuring mutual growth, and addressing shared global challenges.
About Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
- Founded: 1973, by the Treaty of Chaguaramas as the Caribbean Community and Common Market.
- Secretariat: Located in Georgetown, Guyana.
- Chairmanship: Rotates every six months among Heads of Member States.
- Current Chair: Antigua and Barbuda.
- Objectives of CARICOM
- Economic Integration: Promote economic cooperation and integration among member states.
- Equitable Benefits: Ensure the benefits of integration are shared fairly.
- Foreign Policy Coordination: Harmonise the foreign policies of the region.
- Members (15): Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
- Observers and Associate Members
- Observer States: Aruba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela.
- Associate Members: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands.
- Global Status: Recognized as an Official United Nations Observer.
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Significance of India-CARICOM Partnership
- Strategic Significance:
- Global South Alliance: Strengthens India’s position in the Global South.
- Diplomatic Leverage: Provides additional platforms for international cooperation.
- Climate Action and Sustainability:
- Shared Concerns: Both regions face threats from climate change, particularly small island nations.
- India’s Leadership: India’s role in the International Solar Alliance and CDRI offers solutions.
- Financial Support: India’s $140 million line of credit for renewable energy projects.
- Economic Cooperation:
- Trade and Investment: Opportunities for Indian businesses in IT, renewable energy, healthcare, and medical tourism.
- Capacity Building: India’s expertise in digital healthcare and renewable energy can benefit CARICOM.
- Cultural Ties and Diaspora:
- Shared Heritage: Indian diaspora in the Caribbean strengthens people-to-people connections.
- Cultural Exchange: Fosters understanding and cooperation between the two regions.
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